


State of Our Union, The

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Episode Tag, Episode: s05e11 The Benign Prerogative, Friendship, Humor, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-07-05
Updated: 2007-07-05
Packaged: 2019-05-31 09:40:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15116729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: "Oh no, I'm driving.  You've never even driven on that side of the road."





	State of Our Union, The

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

“Hey. I heard you got bitchslapped right before the State of the Union.”

“First of all, it was not a bitchslap. Second of all, if your father told you that I am 100% positive that was not the word he used.”

“My mother told me. It was the word she used.”

That did sound like Abbey Bartlet’s sometimes colorful language.

“Drink a beer Chuck.”

Charlie took the frosty bottle of Coors Light from her hand and Zoey sat down beside him. They were alone on the stairs leading down to the steam pipe trunk distribution venue. Charlie needed a breather so he excused himself from the typical State of the Union brouhaha coupled with the pardon party. The President knew to page him if anything was needed. Zoey was actually sitting on the step above him, looking very pretty in a blue skirt and off-white cashmere sweater. Her red hair draped her shoulders now. He just started to look at her like a woman; after all she had been through. Maybe he should have before.

“I guess you're flying solo again.” She said.

“Why don’t you tell me? You always seem to know more about my love life than anyone else.”

“What happened?” she asked, ignoring the barb.

“She was a member of the press. I don’t care if it was an intern position with the Press Corps, she should have told me about it. I told her things Zo, I mean nothing that would bring indictments, but I opened up. I was the one who was betrayed and then she slaps me as if I did something wrong.”

“Women.” Zoey replied with a smirk.

“Are you purposely being a smartass?”

“Mmm hmm.”

“Just checking.”

“I would not have slapped you.”

“That’s a small bit of comfort. What are you doing here anyway?”

She didn’t really know what he meant.

“I thought you would be in Manchester.”

“Doing what, twiddling my thumbs? No thank you. I'm here because my parents live here, at least for the time being. I definitely didn’t like the idea of being in that big farmhouse all alone. Now that my parents have made up being around them are not so unbearable.”

“Agreed.”

They were quiet for a while. He could not help but sigh when he felt Zoey massage the nape of his neck. Her hand was cold and it sent a shiver through his bloodstream. He still felt the warmth behind it…actually it was pure heat.

“I entered the Masters program at American University.”

“What are you studying?” he asked.

“International politics. I'm not sure if I want to attend fulltime but I will be done when my father leaves office.”

“What are you going to do with it?” Charlie asked.

“I want to work for the State Department. Though the idea of working in a foreign embassy is very intriguing.”

“The world is a dangerous place. American embassies are big targets.”

“I am not afraid. Anyway, I didn’t say I wanted to work in the embassy in Myanmar. Maybe Spain or Italy. Wouldn’t it be great to see another part of the world? Have an adventure in a foreign land?”

“So, I am invited on this trip?”

“There is no one I would rather be with.”

“I have to go to law school.” Charlie replied.

“We will leave after you graduate.”

“OK.”

“Yeah?”

“Why not? I get to drive.”

“Oh no, I'm driving. You’ve never even driven on that side of the road.”

“I am good at everything I endeavor.” He said.

“Mmm, yeah you are.”

Charlie looked at her, couldn’t help but smile.

“So, international politics?”

“Yeah. I'm excited about the future.”

“Good.”

She took hold of his face and kissed him passionately. Charlie went to pull away but Zoey held onto him and he didn’t want to anyway. Her kisses were soft and though it felt so good, he didn’t think it was appropriate behavior for the White House. Not that anyone would ever catch them down there.

“Zoey…”

He moved away finally, though he did kiss her hand.

“I can't help it. I love to kiss you.”

“We were supposed to be taking it slow.” Charlie reasoned.

“It was just kissing. We've done a lot more in the past.”

“I should probably get back to work. I never intended to be away for this long.”

“OK.” 

She didn’t try to stop him. If it were going to be it would be. Still, ever since their romantic encounter last month Zoey had been jonesing. He kept her at arm’s length, even dated someone else. She threw herself into her program at American. She wasn’t leaving; she was not giving up.

“You're just going to sit here?” he asked.

“For a moment.”

“We don’t have to leave separately. That’s silly.”

“It’s not that. I'm just thinking.”

“About what?”

“Lots of different things.” She put her hand on his arm. “Go on, I’ll be fine. Cross my heart.”

“OK. Hey, let me take you to lunch on Sunday.”

“You don’t have to work?”

“I usually come by in the afternoon but I would like to have lunch with you.”

“Brunch?”

“Whatever you want to call it.”

“Yeah.”

Charlie nodded and he bent to kiss the top of her head before walking away.

“My father does that. Don’t do that anymore.”

“Kiss the top of your head?”

“Mmm hmm.”

“Don’t they say little girls fall in love with men like their fathers?”

“They do.”

“I’ll see you on Sunday. One o’clock at the Georgetown Diner.”

“Uh uh. Let’s meet at the Daily.”

“Yeah. Goodnight Zoey.”

Charlie walked away and she sat there for a while. She sipped beer, thinking about things before getting up and heading to the Mural Room. Staffers were gathered there and she would chat with a few people before calling it a night.

***


End file.
